Philotic Web

I read a couple of pages of "Sarah" the other day at a bookstore but was hesitant to buy it. Is it worth it or is it full of LDS doctrine or both?

I really like the whole Women of Genesis series (I own all three). I don't know enough about LDS doctrine to know how much the series might touch on that. It definitely expands greatly on the small bits of information that the bible provides about these females, but that is to be expected if you are going to write an entire novel about them. I enjoy them as fiction novels and that is how I would recommend them, especially to someone religious. That's the same way I feel about The Red Tent (which I also enjoy).

I read it so long ago, I couldn't remember a lot of it. So I skimmed over it. The only thing strongly LDS is the history, not so much the doctrine. Card includes stories from the Book of Abraham (in the Pearl of Great Price), mainly that he was saved from being sacrificed by a priest of Pharaoh, and briefly that he taught Pharaoh astronomy.

The strongest LDS doctrine I noticed shouldn't be unusual to other Christian faiths -- they talk about the Priesthood.

I've only read Sarah and Rebekah so far. I really liked them. Although (obviously) there are a lot of historical embellishments, they do a good job at putting you in their time and helping you get to know what these people might have been like.

If it bothers you too much to read his more LDS-heavy writings, try just thinking of it as yet another story rather than a doctrine. Then again, I'm an atheist, so it isn't hard for me to suspend my disbelief.

The Genesis stories are rather good, though.